The Bob Lazar Story - ThreeFourFaster

Hear The Track Here

When I saw the Progessive Rock tag attached to this New Zealand artist I almost pooped me pants, and as you know this is not a wise thing to do outside of extreme infancy. As many of you also know, much to your eyeballs cost, I don't really like prog rock either as a musical form or as a fashion statement. I mean, heavy military greatcoats and big mullets, where is that at? Not to mention the genre's dance; a frantic skittering of air-guitar-keys-whatever all conducted with a serious po face that just screams 'kick my head in'. As good as some of the premier prog rock bands were, I saw it all the first time round. It's like chocolate, if I have any more of that I'm going to vomit.

OK, so that's all the toilet issues over then.... (Ed: we can but hope)

I needn't have worried in this case because Double Turn Double Safe (July 2006) proved to be a truly worthwhile listening experience. A sort of prog rock with a country twist if you can believe that. So, I had great hopes for this second effort from Matt Deacon (AKA The Bob Lazar Story). ThreeFourFaster really does deserve the prog rock tag though and I would have probably hated it on sight except that again this artist musical style keep me going. Although I may not like the genre, I can certainly appreciate a decent musician, especially one who can see the need for a nice snatch of theremin. Theremin snatches? Uh oh, mybe I should rephrase that...

Nahhh, fekk it.

Even if, like me, you are a confirmed prog rock free zone there will be enough in ThreeFourFaster to keep you amused for it's two plus minutes of life. I also hazard a guess and say that gen-u-wine prog rock fans would only bitch and moan about the length of it, not the performance. After all, most prog rock tracks last for days innit? Maybe, in his wilder moments, Matt knows this and has the other eighteen parts of this stashed away for further delectation. Fair enough (or furry muff, depending on your accent) because even a prog rock philistine like me can enjoy the musicianship if not the overall effect. What the genre always lacked for me was emotion and surprisingly enough, The Bob Lazar Story DO manage that trick.

Prog rock that even appeals to me (and THAT is rare, rare, rare).